great turnout at rally to oppose coal exports

Posted by Phil Evans on February 07, 2014

Our Energy Minister, Peter Batchelor, wants to allow some ‘entrepreneurs’ to get their grubby mitts on some of Victoria’s dirty coal, so they can sell it to India and make big bucks. Never mind that it increases global emissions at a time they need to be cut. Around 200 people turned out at a lunch time protest to tell him they don't like this idea.

Thursday October 22, 2009

Around 200 people turned out at very short notice to oppose the crazy proposal by Energy Minister Peter Batchelor to develop an export industry for Victoria's coal.

Community tells Premier: world does not need our dirty coal

Following revelations last week that the Energy Minister is advocating for a new coal export industry for Victoria, several hundred community members met on the steps of Parliament today to show their opposition to the plan.

Green groups have been inundated with calls from community members who are furious about Peter Batchelorâ€™s support of a new proposal by Exergen to export Victoriaâ€™s coal to India.

A letter sent to Premier Brumby from prominent scientists, climate change experts, and leading green and church groups opposing the establishment of a Victorian coal export industry was also released today.

Environment Victoriaâ€™s campaigns director Mark Wakeham said todayâ€™s protestors called on the Brumby Government to back up its climate change leadership claims.

â€œItâ€™s essential the Premier acts swiftly to reject this outdated proposal. If the project goes ahead, 11 million tonnes of greenhouse pollution will be pumped into the atmosphere each year, and the Latrobe Valleyâ€™s necessary shift to a clean energy future will be delayed,â€ he said.

Greenpeace climate change campaigner Julien Vincent urged the Premier to instead invest his governmentâ€™s efforts and resources into generating opportunities for the manufacture and export of proven renewable energy technologies.

â€œIf the state government wants to be taken seriously on climate change, we should be hearing announcements about turning the Latrobe Valley into Victoriaâ€™s renewable energy manufacturing hub,â€ he said.

â€œAttempting to export 12 million tonnes per year of the worldâ€™s most polluting fossil fuel is not only morally bankrupt, it is also economically short-sighted.â€ Â Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth said handing over millions of dollars worth of coal to a company that plans to export it to a country with no current cap on greenhouse pollution, was not in the public interest.

Â â€œVictoriaâ€™s brown coal is wet, volatile, highly polluting and very inefficient. If the Brumby Government decides to promote this dirty fuel on the world stage, it will set our state up to be a loser in the fight against climate change,â€ he said.

ACF climate change campaigner Owen Pascoe said a coal export industry would be damaging to international climate negotiations and would lock developing countries into a polluting future. Â â€œExporting brown coal is a terrible idea at a time when we need a global transition to a clean energy future,â€ he said.

URGENT: We need you this Thursday!

Our Energy Minister, Peter Batchelor, wants to allow some â€˜entrepreneursâ€™ to get their grubby mitts on some of Victoriaâ€™s dirty coal, so they can sell it to India and make big bucks. Never mind that it increases global emissions at a time they need to be cut.

A number of climate action and environment groups think this is just plain crazy. So crazy in fact, that weâ€™re organising a lunchtime protest this Thursday to let the Premier know he needs to nip this one in the bud.

We need you to come along on Thursday to help us tell the Premier that exporting brown coal is...well, stupid, actually.

START: 12.30pm, Thursday 22nd October WHERE: Steps of Parliament House, Spring St FINISH: 1.10pm â€“ plenty of time for lunch and getting back to work! RSVP: Let us know youâ€™re coming by sending a quick email